


Sacrifice

by Shyer



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Ending: Help John Escape, Gen, High Honor Arthur Morgan, John does too, My First Work in This Fandom, Post-Chapter 6: Beaver Hollow (Red Dead Redemption 2), arthur deserved better than this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 00:36:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19937131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyer/pseuds/Shyer
Summary: In which Arthur helps John escape, the night the Van Der Linde Gang truly stopped living.





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't wrote anything for this fandom before, but my fucking god since I got RDR2 I've been in love with it
> 
> I haven't really dabbled in writing for close to two months now, so I'm not going to be as good as I personally think I could've been. Hope y'all enjoy, nonetheless.

Gunfire rained upon the hillside he and John were fleeing towards. Despite all of his efforts put towards saving the gang, his _family_ , Dutch had constantly gotten the law's attention, time and time again.

“Keep pushing, Arthur.” John's voice called out from somewhere ahead of him. Arthur was already struggling to catch his breath, this tuberculosis having taken a toll on his health.

It was his time. He knew he wasn't going to be making it off this hill alive.

“No...” A cough erupted from him, the taste of iron in his mouth. Arthur spat out blood. “No... I think I've pushed all I can.”

John, clutching his shoulder, face contorted in a mixture of pain from the gunshot wound, and despair at hearing Arthur's resignation, let out a breath.

“Come on.”

“You go.”

“We ain't got time for this,” John tried, the look in his eyes pleading with Arthur to come with him. His brother, the one who was making this push to help John, Abigail and Jack escape this life. “Not now.”

Arthur let out a breath of his own, pulling his hat off of his head, voice solemn.

“We ain't both gonna make it. Go. Now. I'll hold them off.” A gesture to the distance, gunshots ringing in the air, close enough that if John were to convince Arthur, they could run, they could get out of here alive and safe-

The older man put his hat on John's head, his father's hat, a hand clasped to his shoulder afterwards. “It would mean a lot to me...” A tremble in his voice, but expression firm. He couldn't be swayed from his decision, John realized. “Please.”

“There ain't no more time for talk.” John had Arthur's satchel thrown over his shoulder, the older man having pulled his gun from his holster. Intent on seeing his resolve through, starting back towards the hillside, away from him. “Go.”

“Arthur..”

“Go to your family!”

“Arthur!”

“Get the hell out of here, and be a goddamn man!” The two locked eyes for an instant, before Arthur's gaze turned upwards for another moment, the man starting towards the peak.

“You're my brother...” John spoke quietly. Arthur's gaze turned back to the man he helped raise, all those years and the upbringing from Dutch van der Linde.

For all the man had done these past months.. there was one good thing that came out of this life that he lived.

That something being John Marston. This opportunity of his own redemption, giving his life so that his brother may live.

“I know...” Arthur nodded, turning his gaze back towards the top once more. A better vantage point to cover John's escape from, and draw the attention to him.

“I know.”

The last thing John heard as he fled was Arthur's battle cry, and more fighting erupt behind him.

\-------

It wouldn't be until seven years later, that John would visit Arthur's grave.

Charles had shown him the way, given him directions.

Jack was growing up. Abigail safe. The three of them, alongside Uncle, in their new home, a ranch in Beecher's Hope.

Micah dead, by his, Sadie, and Charles's hands.

He took a breath, eyes closed, before he exhaled and opened them once again. Everything that he had gotten in these past seven years, as rocky as they may have been, was all because of Arthur and his sacrifice. John would never forget that.

“Guess we're just about done, my friend.” he murmurs, lingering for a last, somber moment, before turning back to his horse and starting on the path back to his home.


End file.
